95 football fields’ worth of ghost nets removed from Marmara Sea

ISTANBUL

A Turkish marine conservation group has removed an estimated 650,000 square meters of abandoned fishing gear — equivalent to roughly 95 football fields — from the Marmara Sea and other Turkish waters over the past decade, highlighting the growing threat posed by so-called “ghost nets” to marine ecosystems.

According to Volkan Narcı, president of the Marine Life Conservation Society, ghost nets — fishing gear lost or abandoned at sea — continue trapping and killing marine life long after they are discarded. Made largely from plastic materials, the nets can remain on the seabed for decades, entangling species ranging from sharks and sea turtles to fish and seabirds.

“Over the last 10 years, we have removed 650,000 square meters of ghost nets from the seabed using our own resources,” Narcı said. “If left underwater, these nets threaten hundreds of species and contribute to microplastic pollution as they gradually break down.”

The organization now operates a dedicated ghost-net vessel capable of locating abandoned gear at depths of up to 50 meters. Nets are recovered through a combination of diving operations and specialized equipment, often following reports from fishermen, divers and local residents.

Beyond cleanup efforts, the group has also pioneered coral restoration projects in Türkiye. Narcı said the association has transplanted 650 coral colonies to new locations on the seabed, achieving a survival rate exceeding 80 percent — an initiative he described as the first of its kind in the country.

The organization is also involved in managing and monitoring a protected marine area around Tavşan Island in the Marmara Sea. The site, monitored around the clock by underwater and surface cameras, contributes to broader international conservation goals, including the “30x30” target, which seeks to place 30 percent of the world’s marine areas under protection by 2030.

To support research and public participation, the group has launched the “Blue Atlas” mobile application, allowing users to record marine species sightings and report ghost nets. The data collected helps scientists map biodiversity, identify potential conservation zones and direct cleanup operations.

The association recently published a scientific report cataloguing ghost-net findings, including their locations, depths and types. Narcı said the data has helped inform policy measures, including regulations requiring fishing nets to carry identification tags, making it easier to trace ownership and discourage illegal disposal.

The recovered materials are also being incorporated into recycling projects, with some ghost nets already being transformed into consumer products such as sunglasses. The organization is exploring additional industrial uses as part of a broader circular economy approach.